


Pride

by ChaoticSimpleton



Series: Whoops I hurt Tom and made him a theatre kid [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Edge Lord Alert, Gen, POV Tom Riddle, Sane Tom Riddle, Teenage Tom Riddle, Tom is a little shit, Weird ramblings, Young Tom Riddle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:48:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24481546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaoticSimpleton/pseuds/ChaoticSimpleton
Summary: Tom has to get his information somehow.
Series: Whoops I hurt Tom and made him a theatre kid [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1768210
Comments: 1
Kudos: 19





	Pride

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you Angie for betaing this/

Feelings, Tom mused as he pressed his back against the cold brick wall, were useless.

He tilted his head back as his eyes fluttered shut and revelled the in vast nothingness that came with sensory deprivation. 

But then again, he deliberated. If he was revealing, that must mean he was feeling something right? A small spark of amusement filled his body at his hypocrisy.

Was it normal to not want to feel at all? To float in an empty void and to act without anything but pure logic shrouding your view? To distance oneself from the annoyance of humanity and to return to one’s roots of being absolutely nothing.

His fingers tapped rhythmically on the floor and Tom tried to quell those useless thoughts. He had no time to ponder on the random questions that entered his mind, no, not while there were more important things to do. 

His restless fingers stopped as his ears picked up the telltale footsteps of shoes against stone. Tom could hear every sound that came from the other, from the swish of their cloak to their nervous breathing. And even for a moment, he could've sworn he heard their shadows glide across the walls. Why was everyone so _loud._

When Tom felt the said shadow cast over him, he forced his body not to tense, the way a decade of instincts old compelled him too.

“Tom, right?” The boy asked softly, hesitant to break Tom’s relaxed state.

Tom gently opened his eyes and his demeanour swiftly changed from annoyance to adorable shyness. 

He forced a gentle smile and stomped on his inner mutt that wanted to bare his fangs and snarl at the intruder.

“Yes, that’s me,” Tom spoke softly, his voice echoing around the empty courtyard. “Thank you so much for your time, this favour is greatly appreciated.”

The Hufflepuff above him ducked his head and turned an unflattering shade of tomato.  _ Pathetic. _

The boy’s soft, fluffy brown hair fell and covered his face and he murmured, “Nah worries, it’s nothing. So what’s troubling ya?”

Tom’s pride wanted him to viciously attack the boy for that question, wanted to watch the blood from that pitiful student's blush stream out of his nose.

It was not a matter of not being able to do it, he can do anything. It was the lack of reliable resources that forced his hand into this favour. Nonetheless, his rationality overtook his pride and he forced himself to continue his smile.

He gracefully unfolded his legs and moved to a stand, while pretending he didn’t see the badger’s hand held out to help him up.

“I’m having a bit of...trouble with wizarding world customs,” Tom whispered softly. As if it took a lot out of him to even suggest he needed help. Which, to be fair, it did. “They’re awfully complicated, and the purebloods don’t want to share the knowledge.”

Tom bashfully lowered his head and a fake blush dusted his pale skin. He shyly looked up through his dark eyelashes, in the way all orphans knew how to act, in order to get what they wanted from passing adults.

The Hufflepuff somehow turned into an even more flattering shade of red and started stutter. 

Feelings were useless, Tom silently mused as he hid a small smirk. They let others take advantage of you.

_ Caught one. _


End file.
